As seasonal temperatures finally break through the extended Duluth winter, the University of Minnesota Duluth baseball team will break into even warmer temperatures this week, traveling to the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational in Auburndale, Florida for eight games in five days against regional and national competition.

UMD, which finished 18-23 overall and 14-17 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference a year ago, takes on three similar opponents from last season's trip to the RussMatt Invite: Northwood (Mich.) University in a two-day, four-game set, followed by doubleheaders with Wayne State (Mich.) University and St. Michael's (Vt.) College early next week. From there, the Bulldogs will dive straight into NSIC competition next week. "Playing a majority of those teams again, it gets us another taste of what conference is about," said head coach Bob Rients. "They're not conference opponents, but when you face them year-to-year, it's easier to illustrate before you get into the NSIC schedule that the information you attain from year-to-year needs to be used to your advantage, and the growth needs to take place no matter who you face." UMD went 3-3 against the teams last season, falling in its lone game against Northwood despite a six-run comeback effort in the ninth inning after a scheduled doubleheader had been rained out. After splitting with Wayne State, the Bulldogs took two of three from Saint Michael's including an explosive 16-6 game that saw UMD launch nine extra-base hits. In all, the Bulldogs scored 28 runs against the Purple Knights.

COVERING THE BASES
UMD | OVERALL: 0-0 (18-23 in 2014) | @UMDBaseball
• UMD had its opening series with defending national champion the University of Southern Indiana delayed by snow and then washed out by rain in Evansville, Indiana, pushing back the season opener for the Bulldogs by a week.
• Ending the 2014 campaign with victories in 11 of their last 15 games including four straight to close the season, UMD will look to continue that momentum with largely the same cast of characters: junior infielders Alex Wojciechowski (2013 NSIC Freshman of the Year), Jimmy Heck, and Kyle Comer, as well as senior catcher Beau Goff all return to the line-up. Goff, along with senior outfielder John Meyer and senior reliever Michael Stocke, will serve as UMD's team captains.
• Junior southpaw Bo Hellquist returns as the ace of the Bulldog staff, with senior righthander Wes Mleziva and junior college transfer Austin Vaske making up the front half of the rotation. First-year hurlers Marcus Fredererickson (LHP) and Justin Kunkel (RHP) have put together strong springs, and UMD will rely heavily on freshmen out of the bullpen.
• Outside of Meyer, UMD will lean on sophomores Matt Vogt and Grant Farley, as well as junior transfer Kyle Singer in the outfield. Vogt was selected as one of the team's most improved players last year, while Farley appeared in 23 games as an outfielder and designated hitter in his freshman season. Of Singer, Coach Rients said, "He's pushing those guys who have seen considerable playing time in previous years. We anticipate him being in the regular rotation out there and to make an impact."

SCOUTING THE TIMBERWOLVES (Friday, Mar. 13, 3:00 p.m. ET and Saturday, Mar. 14, 10:00 a.m. ET) - Live Stats
Northwood (Mich.) | OVERALL: 5-3 (18-27 in 2014) | @nutimberwolves
• Already in Florida, Northwood will take to the field four more times before taking on UMD this weekend. Currently 5-3 including a doubleheader sweep scoring 33 runs against Trinity International, the Timberwolves knocked off No. 4 Minnesota State University, Mankato on Monday, 3-2 in Winter Haven.
• Junior Luke Bivens has taken the mound for a pair of starts for Northwood, picking up a victory. He's struck out 10 batters in just six innings to the tune of a 3.00 ERA.
• Juniors Dustin Lee and Dylan Trimachi have posted matching .353 batting averages, with Lee slugging a pair of extra base hits already this year.
• Sophomore outfielder Tanner McCarn has launched a pair of home runs and has had four of his six hits go for extra bases for a .316/.333/.789 batting line.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS  (Monday, Mar. 16, 3:00 p.m. ET) - Live Stats
Wayne State (Mich.) | OVERALL: 4-6 (36-17 in 2014) | @WarriorAthletes
• Like UMD, Wayne State lost its season-opening series due to weather but faced off with Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) University in a three-game set to open the season, splitting a pair of extra inning outings before falling 8-5 in the rubber game. Wayne State will take on its name rival, Wayne State (Neb.) College on Wednesday and a pair of other NSIC squads before facing UMD next week.
• Junior right-hander Alex Kinch opened his season with 7.2 innings without allowing an earned run on the mound, striking out four and allowing just six hits. Senior left-hander Kyle Zimmerman allowed just a pair of runs and struck out a batter per inning in a seven inning start.
• Junior infielder Justin Sherman scored a run per game in the team's season-opening series. Sophomore outfielder Cole Clifton drove in three runs on four hits and scored a pair of runs himself.

SCOUTING THE PURPLE KNIGHTS (Tuesday, Mar. 17, 10:00 a.m. ET) - Live Stats
Saint Michael's (Vt.) | OVERALL: 0-3 (7-25 in 2014) | @smcpurpleknights
• Saint Michael's opened the season with a sweep at the hands of Southern Connecticut State University in New England, but will travel to Florida beginning next week with a series against the University of Minnesota-Crookston before taking on UMD next Tuesday.
• Senior infielder George Buteau hit .500 with five hits, including a double, to lead the way for the Purple Knights in their opening series.
• Freshman infielder Peter Bocchino and junior infielder Matt Feeney each hit a pair of doubles as SMC knocked around seven in the three-game set.
• Junior right-hander Curt Echo tossed a complete game in a losing effort against Southern Connecticut State, allowing just a pair of earned runs while striking out two. Senior righty Will Corkum allowed three runs in five innings of work while striking out seven in his start.

BULLDOG 'BYTE
"Ultimately, you never truly know what you have until you start competing and playing those games. Our conference has become extremely competitive top to bottom in the last few years. So, we know it's not going to be the easiest thing in the world to get a win, but each one you do get is earned. That's the pride factor of playing in the NSIC, knowing that the sport of baseball is really come to the forefront regionally and nationally." - head coach Rients before the season on competing against top competition

UMD and Northwood will get the action underway this Friday afternoon. Opening pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. ET.